But, all other things considered, I don't see prices ever returning to a point lower than the pre-panic level, and the reality is that everything is going to cost a bit more than it did, even when sanity is restored.

Depends. Once the legislation threat is dealt with the prices will take a big dip suddenly as the opportunist unofficial resellers exit the market first. After that there will be a slow drop off until proper sales levels are reached. Makers will start discounting to increase sales and prices will again drop.

__________________Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.